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1. The Battle of the West Street Crossing

   A lone police officer stands his ground against a railroad crew in a decades-long property dispute.

   Jan 21, 1894The Seattle Post-IntelligencerWest Street, Seattle, King CountyFollow the Money

2. The Great Telephone Switchboard Fire

   A tangled mess of high-voltage arc light wires sends fireworks cascading through the central telephone exchange, nearly incinerating the entire plant.

   Nov 10, 1893The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyDisasters

3. The Railroad Land Agent Who Chose Death Over Ruin

   Paul Schulze, the Northern Pacific’s former land agent and a promoter of Tacoma streetcars and Yakima irrigation, shot himself as receivers took over his enterprises.

   Apr 13, 1895The Seattle Post-IntelligencerTacoma, Pierce CountyFollow the Money · Boom & Bust

4. The Unholy Alliance Behind the Mayoral Win

   A deep dive into the disparate coalition—from saloon owners to railroad bosses—that ousted Mayor Campbell in favor of George P. Wright.

   Apr 6, 1904The Tacoma TimesTacoma, Pierce CountyCity Hall

5. The Swamp That Was: How a Drainage Project Threatened to Reclaim King County’s Wetlands

   In 1876, local farmers petitioned the county to drain the marshes between White and Black rivers, arguing that reclamation would boost public health and add millions to the region's wealth.

   Jul 26, 1876The Daily IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

6. The Settlers’ Plea for the Skagit River

   Without government support, early pioneers are manually clearing massive river logjams to open the Skagit Valley to trade and development.

   Dec 28, 1876The Daily IntelligencerSkagit River, Mount Vernon, Skagit CountyFollow the Money

7. Seattle Throws Its Hat in the Ring for a Federal Gun Works

   Washington, Oregon and California are all angling for the new Pacific coast ordnance factory, and Seattle is already lobbying — with Senator Squire arguing that Puget Sound's new dry dock settles the matter.

   Aug 30, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

8. Fraternity Stiffed by City and Chamber

   Local Odd Fellows lodges footed the entire bill for entertaining the visiting Sovereign Grand Lodge after the city and Chamber of Commerce reneged on their promises to split the costs.

   Nov 27, 1892The Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle, King CountyCity Hall

9. The Dream of Ravenna Park: A Victorian Utopia in the Pines

   Promoted as a 'city of churches' and culture, W.W. Beck’s ambitious Ravenna development sought to mirror an Italian paradise on the shores of Lake Washington.

   Jan 1, 1891The Seattle Post-IntelligencerRavenna Park, Seattle, King CountyBoom & Bust

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